Chris Weidman steps in to face Demian Maia at UFC on FOX 2

Undefeated middleweight prospect Chris Weidman will get a shot to fight on network TV.

UFC president Dana White today announced that Weidman will meet Demian Maia at this month’s UFC on FOX 2 event.

Weidman fills a spot opened when Maia’s original opponent, Michael Bisping, was pulled to replace an injured Mark Munoz and face Chael Sonnen, also at UFC on FOX 2.

Weidman and Maia now meet on the FOX-televised main card of this month’s “UFC on FOX
2: Evans vs. Davis” event, which takes place Jan. 28 at Chicago’s United
Center.

Weidman returns to action for the first time since earning a technical-submission win over Tom Lawlor at November’s UFC 139 event. The win was the Serra-Longo product’s third under the UFC banner. A former two-time All-American Division I wrestler at Hofstra, Weidman has earned seven straight wins to open his professional career.

Maia, a Brazilian submission specialist, is 3-1 since an unsuccessful
bid at middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s title in early 2010, and
the lone defeat came via decision to Munoz. Most recently, Maia topped
Jorge Santiago at UFC 136 to rebound from the loss.